Water treating apparatus



NOV. 14, 1933. E, PICK 1,935,458

I I WATER TREATING APPARATUS Filed May 28, 1952 -Eric Pick,

Patented Nov. 14, 1933 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE WATER TREATING APPARATUS tion of Delaware Application May 28, 1932. Serial No. 614,204

Claims.

This invention relates to water treating apparatus; and it comprises a water softening unit having all connections at the top, said unit comprising a vertical cylindrical casing adaptedto i hold a charge of granular base exchange silicate and provided with a top integral with the casing, an integral annular neck surrounding an opening formed in the top, a readily removable plate closure carrying ports and adapted to make a gasketed joint with said neck, a strainer within the easing and centrally located at its bottom, a flexible connection between one of said ports and said strainer which permits lifting the plate without breaking said connection and means for connectl5 ing the ports to a source of hard water and to a soft water supply line; and, more specifically, it comprises a portable or experimental softener of the character described wherein the annular neck is peripherally threaded, and the means for holding the closure to theneck is a threaded collar engaging the threads on the neck, said collar being provided with a carrying bail, the inlet port of said closure carrying a flexible connecting member adapted for engagement with a faucet;

all as more fully hereinafter set forth and as,

claimed.

Water softening with the aid of granular base exchange silicates or zeolites is common practice. Glauconite is a silicate often used for this purpose. There is a demand for small simple portable water softening units for testing, experimental and occasional use. In the present invention this demand is met. A portable softener is provided which can be readily connected to any faucet and as readily disconnected.

In a portable softenei under the present invention simplicity can be carried to the extreme, valves being dispensed with and flexible tubing used. All connections are at the top and are so made as to permit easy assemblage and disassemblage, with ready removal or replacement of a zeolite charge. Within the casing at the bottom is a strainer connected to a port at the top by a flexible hose long enough to permit the top to be lifted some distance above the top of the.

casing without detaching the tubing or disturbing the connections. The opening in the top is of sufiiciently large area to permit easy access to the interior of the casing on lifting the closure. In the accompanying illustration I have shown, more or less diagrammatically, various embodiments of the present invention. In this showing: Fig. 1 is a vertical central section of a portable water treating apparatus provided with a simple, valveless closure plate; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of a similar water treating apparatus, but provided with a closure plate including a multiple port valve.

Referring to Fig. 1, numeral 1 designates a cylindrical casing, advantageouslyconstructed of metal and having, as shown, two halves welded, soldered or otherwise suitably joined together along line 2. This construction is found to be economical. The casing is adapted to hold a suitable charge of granular base exchange silie5 cate 3. The top-portion of the container is provided with a cylindrical neck 4, peripherally threaded, and shaped at the top to provide a seat for a closure plate 5. A gasket 6 is interposed between the seat and the plate 5; the three ele- 7o ments being held together to give a water-tight joint by means of areadily removable threaded metal collar 7. To this collar, as shown, is attached a handle 8 for the purpose of carrying the apparatus about.

A water strainer, indicated as a whole-by the numeral 13, is attached to the bottom of 'the tank by means of screw 14 serving to keep the strainer centered. The strainer is constructed with a circular bottom plate 15 threaded at its center to go engage the centering screw 14 and joined to and spaced from a circular top plate 16 through spaced uprights 18, advantageously cast integral with the top and bottom of the strainer. The openings thus provided between the plates and the uprights are 35 covered with wire screen 19, soldered or otherwise suitably held in place. Communicating with the interior of the strainer and extending upwardly from the top plate is a nipple 1'7. Closure plate 5 is provided with an inlet nipple .20 having a water distributor 20a on its internal opening and with an outlet nipple 21. Both nipples are screwed into the plate and project from either side thereof. Nipple 17 on the strainer and nipple 21 of the closure plate are connected by means of flexible hose 22 of rubber, metal or other suitable material, secured to the nipples by means of wire rings 23. The outlet nipple is provided with a flexible hose 24 attached thereto at one end by wire rings 23 and carrying at its oppositeend a 10 threaded nipple 25 secured in a similar manner. The inlet nipple is also provided with a hose extension 26, secured by means of wire rings and it carries at its upper end a threaded nipple 27. This nipple maybe screwed to a faucet adaptor, 28, permitting attachment to a faucet. A gasket 29 is provided to seal the joint. A funnel shaped member 30 made of soft rubber is attached to the faucet adaptor by means of a screw'collar 31. It'closely fits around the faucet 32, forming a seal no and preventing the escape of water. The screw collar is shown provided with a retaining chain or rope 33 attached to the collar by pin 34 and hook 35. The chain may he slipped over a faucet as shown in Fig. 1. If desired the chain may be covered to prevent abrasion of the faucet.

In the operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, as a water softener, water passes from the fancet 32 through the faucet adaptor 28, rubber hose 26, nipple 20 anddistributor 20a to the top of the tank and thence downwardly through the water treating material 3 into the strainer 13, upwardly through hose 22 and outwardly through nipple 21, hose 24 and nipple 25 to the point of use. When. backwashing is required, water is passed through the tank in a reversed direction to that previously described. In order to do this the faucet adaptor is detached from the nipple 27 and attached to nipple 25. To regenerate the base-exchange silicate water softening material after back-Washing or when required, the faucet adaptor is removed from the faucet and from nipple 25 and again attached to nipple 27. A brine solution is poured into the funnel shaped opening of the adaptor after which the adaptor is again attached to the faucet and water passed through the apparatus to rinse out the salt solution. As soon as all the brine has been rinsed out of the container, soft water will be discharged from nipple 25.

Fig. 2 shows a modification adapted more for permanent installation than the apparatus shown in Fig.1. The softener here shown is provided with a multiple valve of the type described in my copending applications Serial Nos. 484,164 and 547,985. This valve is arranged to successively connect the softener for softening, backwashing, and regenerating operations. In Fig. 2 the numeral 36 represents a tank or container advantageously constructed of metal and welded at its base to an enlarged cylindrical member 37 forming a bottom and support for the tank. At the top, the tank is secured to a head 38 by welded joint 39. The container holds a charge of granular water treating exchange silicates 40 carried on a layer of gravel 41. Neck ring 42 is welded to the head to provide a surface forming a seat for the reception of the multi-port control valve, indicated by the numeral 43. The valve is attached to the neck by means of screws 44.

As stated the multi-port control valve is advantageously of the design described in my copending applications identified above. It is provided with hard water inlet port 45a and brine and drain connections not shown. All of the connections communicate through the body of the valve with the interior of the container. The valve is also provided with a soft water service connection (not shown) adapted for communication through channel 46a in the valve disk, nipple 46, tube 52 and strainer 47 with the bottom of the tank.

Strainer 47 has a serrated lower edge 48 under which water may pass but not gravel or exchange silicates. The strainer is attached to the bottom of the container at its center by screw 49 provided with gasket 50. The outlet of the strainer terminates in an upright pipe 51 which is connected to the nipple 46 by a hose 52 fastened to the pipe 51 and nipple 46 by means of wire rings 53. The hose is similar to that shown at 22 in Fig. 1 and serves a like purpose.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

Untreated water enters the valve casing through hard water supply pipe 45a and is discharged through port 45 into the top of the tank where it passes downwardly through the bed of exchange silicates and is softened. The softened water then passes through strainer 47, pipe 52 and valve port 46a to service. Regeneration and backwashing are accomplished by operation of the multi-way valve as described in my copending applications above.

The above described apparatus, while primarily intended for use with base exchange silicates as a water softener, is capable of use for other purposes. It may for example be used as a filter, the zeolite being replaced by sand. The apparatus shown in Fig. 1 may readily be used as an upflow softener by merely attaching the faucet adaptor to nipple 25 during the softening operation.

What I claim is:-

1. As a water softener, a casing adapted to receive a charge of granular base exchange silicates and having a top formed with an opening therein and a neck portion around the opening, said neck having a seating surface, a ported closure member seating on said surface, means for detachably holding said member in engagement with said seating surface, a strainer attached to the bottom of the casing, and a flexible tube forming a connection between said strainer and a port of the closure member and sufficiently long to permit lifting the closure member a substantial distance without breaking said connection.

2. As a water softener, a casing adapted to receive a charge of granular base exchange silicates and having a top formed with an opening therein and a threaded neck portion around the opening, said neck having a seating surface, a ported closure plate seating on said surface, a threaded collar engaging said plate and said neck, a strainer at the bottom of the casing, and a flexible tube forming a connection between said strainer and a port of said closure plate, said tube being sufficiently long to permit lifting the plate a substantial distance without breaking said connection.

3. Water treatment apparatus comprising a casing adapted to receive a charge of granular base exchange silicates and having a top with an opening formed therein and a neck portion around the opening, said neck having a seating surface, a multi-port valve seated upon the neck, a strainer at the bottom of the casing and a relatively long flexible tube forming a connec-' tion between the strainer and one of. the ports of the valve, said tube being sufliciently long to permit lifting the valve a substantial distance above the casing without breaking said connection.

4. Water treating apparatus comprising a casing adapted to receive a charge of granular material, a single opening in said casing for passing liquids into and out of the casing, said opening being formed in the top of the casing with a neck piece around the opening, said neck piece having a seating surface, a multi-way valve seated upon the flange and having ports for said liquid passage, a strainer at the bottom of the casing and a relatively long flexible tube forming a connection between the strainer and one of the ports of the valve, said tube being sufficiently long to permit lifting the valve a substantial distance above the casing without breaking said connection.

5. A portable water softening apparatus for testing, experimental and occasional use comprising a casing adapted to hold a charge of zeolites and having an opening at the top and a valveless closure member therefor carrying various ports, a strainer at the bottom of the casing, a relatively long flexible tube'connection between one of said ports and said strainer, the

length of the tube being eumcient to permit said 

